Back-Log

Jul 6 My City's Filthy: Geeking Out in The Emerald City

Lifted Geek is Seattle at its
core. While our growth this past year has been exponential, our readership has
extended to all over the US and to some folks in countries like the Philippines
and Canada. We haven't forgotten where we came from, and that is why we are
Seattle to the core. Local Seattle rapper Macklemore made waves with such
nationwide airplay riding hits like "Thrift Shop" and "Can't
Hold Us" but his de facto anthem to this city we love "The Town"
sums up our thoughts exactly, from lines like "this is our city, town
pride, heart, blood, sweat, tears, I-5 North, South side, vibe live, ride down
these city blocks, and never will be stopped" all the way to "but my,
my, my, my city's filthy". So when it comes to representing the town,
where is my Seattle? My geeky heart thrives in this city and amongst the
hipsters and the haters, the lovers and the fighters, there are some spots that
are decidedly and unapologetically geek to the core. One of the traits of a
"Lifted Geek" is to be the type to step out from the norms of what
folk expect a geek to be like, so when you've just got to get out in this city,
here are the spots I highly suggest you make a night of it.

If you are attending one of the
cons right in the heart of the city, hitting Gameworks on 7th & Pike makes for a good night out. It's right
across the street from the Washington State Convention Center, home to cons
such as Sakura Con, Emerald City Comicon, and Penny Arcade Expo. If you stay in
any of the hotels right by the convention center, it's an easy and convenient
night out. A fully stocked bar and a restaurant boasting such pub favorites
like burgers and chicken strips. May not be the best spot for the more health
conscious, but if you want a good beer and a night of arcade gaming, this is a
pretty dope spot to make a night of it. A very wide selection of arcade games
from the Street Fighters to the House of the Deads to retro favorites like
Asteroids and PacMan, there is something for literally everyone. While it is
usually an all ages sort of venue, come nighttime the arcade becomes an 18+
facility so you can at least get away from some of the kiddos.A
few miles up the road is the Capitol Hill neighborhood; this hood has become
one of the most bustling neighborhoods for the discerning party goer, divey
bars to chic gastro-pubs line the Pike/Pine corridor. A
few spots beckon to my geeky heart.

Gameworks, a super lively super arcade...

... and also a super lively bar!

hands down one of my favorite places in the city! Love a night at the Rock Box!

"On a corner by a well lit alley right next to CalAn (Cal Anderson Park) sits this chic bar and karaoke box"

If you see yourself a karaoke King
or Queen and want to put your crown to the test, I can't imagine a nicer spot
to hit than Rock Box. On a corner by
a well lit alley right next to CalAn (Cal Anderson Park) sits this chic bar and
karaoke box. You can sing in the bar with the crowd around you as the audience
or you can reserve one of the many well furnished karaoke rooms available. If
you have a large group, it's advisable to make a reservation and rent a room
for a few hours. That way you can comfortably enjoy some of the pub snacks they
offer like the Japanese Mac n Cheese (a classic favorite with a Nippon twist)
or the Yukkari Pop (popcorn popped in duck fat and tossed with salt and
yukkari). The drink menu is just as robust, I highly suggest the J-Pop (vodka,
amaretto, peach schnapps, and cran) or Blood Orange Shiso Mojito (vodka, blood
orange liqueur, fresh mint, fresh Shiso, like, sugar, and soda muddled in the
rocks). Many other inspired libations line the menu, so pick your poison and
belt out a rousing rendition of "Don't Stop Believing" or one of my
personal go-to jams, "Alone" by iconic Seattle rockers Heart! Done
singing? There's a few dope gaming related bars to hit on the Hill.

If you've ever been to the circus
themed bar The Unicorn, you'll most
likely know exactly what the first spot is. Right in the basement of this bar
is The Narwhal, featuring a plethora
of retro games and pinball.It is the spot to see and be seen for the geeky bar
hopper. As I stated earlier, this is in the basement of The Unicorn so you have access to all its goodness from their own
inspired cocktails (the cucumber mojito is a personal favorite of mine) to
their circus themed snacks (get some elephant ears).

the view from the Narwhal. THEY HAVE TRON!

John John's exterior

Not far away is a more chill spot,
not as big as The Narwhal but also
not as loud. John John’s Game Room
is a simple concept; a small bar with pinball and retro arcade games and most
of the coin operated games are half the cost of The Narwhal so a roll of quarters does go a long way here.

Tabletop gaming more your speed?
Check out The Raygun Lounge, nestled
right in the heart of Capitol Hill, this friendly and inviting venue is owned
by the folks over at Gamma Ray Games.
Here, you can find a good selection of tabletop card and strategy games, from Cards Against Humanity all the way to Settlers of Catan. It’s a personal
favorite of mine and one of my go to spots in the city. Beyond just the city
proper, one of Seattle’s outskirt neighborhoods has a pretty geeky scene. Venture
to Ballard, a neighborhood wrought with Nordic history. In the early days, this
hood is where many of the fishermen lived, and the hood continues to thrive as
a hub for the commercial fishing industry in Seattle. In recent years, Ballard
has become decidedly “hip and sexier” and a bar scene started popping up
amongst the cafes and chic restaurants. One such bar is a spot called Cafe Mox, owned by the folks over at Card Kingdom. Much like Raygun on the Hill, you can grab a brew
and play some table top games with your friends. This spot is quite a bit more
luxurious than Raygun, featuring big
booths with plenty of space to dig your heels in and play a few rounds of MTG (Magic
the Gathering for those not in the know). I love this spot! They have rooms
in the back you can rent out for a few hours; this is great especially if you
have a large group of people in your party and cramming 9 people into a booth
is no easy feat.

Cafe Mox... huge tables for gaming and great beer! Winning combination if you ask me

Pinball machines line the wall at this unique ice cream parlor

If pinball and ice cream sound
like your cup of tea, check out Full Tilt.
I can’t imagine anything better than that, I love ice cream... I love pinball!
The ice cream selection is robust and in true Seattle fashion, they feature
some vegan ice creams for those who are either vegan or lactose intolerant. Not too far off from Ballard is Asgard Tavern in Fremont, owned by the folks over at Odin Brewing Company while not inherently geeky, if you are a fan of Thor or even just Norse Mythology, you may be tickled pink to enjoy a few beers like Thor's Equinox (a strong dark Belgium beer) and Odin's Gift (a Nordic amber ale). I'm a huge fan of the beers here and urge you Seattle folk to check it out.

The 90’s may have painted Seattle
as the grunge capital of the US. Plaid flannel shirts and self made screen
printed t-shirts. That may have been the case in movies like Singles and Say Anything, but Seattle has become such a diverse city. From the
music scene to the tech scene, nature lovers and microchip lovers, and
especially geeks. Macklemore declares with all confidence that the word
“filthy” (as a positive adjective) is Seattle colloquialism to its core. To us,
“filthy” is synonymous with being “tight” or “dope” or “fresh”. When I think of
Seattle, and especially when I think of being a geek in this city I Iove so
very much, that shit’s filthy... ya dig?